Tuesday, October 17, 2006

Court postpones hearing to deport Cambodian ex-police chief

Tuesday October 17, 2006
AP

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia's high court postponed a hearing Tuesday to determine if a former Cambodian police chief wanted for murder in his country should be deported, his lawyer said.

N. Sivanathan said he was only appointed to represent Heng Pov on Monday and that he is still unfamiliar with the case.

The High Court postponed the hearing until Nov. 3, Sivanathan said.

Heng Pov, 49, who was convicted in Cambodia for masterminding the assassination of a judge, was arrested earlier this month in Malaysia for overstaying his visa.

In postponing the deportation hearing, the high court also extended a temporary suspension of the deportation order against Heng Pov until the case is concluded.

Malaysia and Cambodia have no extradition treaty.

Two Cambodian government lawyers and representatives from Cambodia's Interpol, immigration department and embassy officials attended Tuesday's hearing but did not participate, he said.

In April 2003, two unidentified men on a motorcycle shot Sok Setha Mony in the Cambodian capital Phnom Penh.

Heng Pov was tried in absentia in September, found guilty of masterminding the murder, and sentenced to 18 years in jail.

Heng Pov served as Phnom Penh's police chief until 2005, when he was promoted to become an adviser to Prime Minister Hun Sen.

He also served as undersecretary for the Interior Ministry.

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